The Weekly Pop Culture Audio Podcast Featuring In-Depth One On One Interviews and Discussions From The Entertainment Worlds Of Genre Fiction- Comic Books, Novels, Television, Film, Video Games And More. Created In 2005 By Chicago Radio/TV Host John Siuntres

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Tuesday, July 03, 2018

Mark Waid Hates Bullies

Mark tells us about his
current runs on Doctor Strange and Ant Man and The Wasp for Marvel, and
the upcoming Archie 1941 setting the Riverdale gang in their original
time frame but with a slightly more serious tone as the second world war
gets underway.
We also talk about the recent controversies in comics surrounding comicsgate, the culture wars and more.

4 comments:

Good Morning from Japan,Love your show after finding it on ITunes. I am now a patreon member and will continue to support you.I just wanted to add their are other opinions on the culture wars and not just right bad, left good blah blah. The SJW have been butual in their attacks on creators and have tried to shut down stores as well.We can agree to disagree but can we be alittle more both sides instead on only one?The problem today is no one listens but everyone talks.Konnichiwa.

To Mark Waid regarding his comments around the 60 min mark. I've been a comic fan for all my life, I first picked up a copy of X-Force during the X-Cutioners song. Comics have always been about diversity of thought, opinion and at times gender, race or sexuality. I honestly do not believe this is an issue for the majority of comic readers (mind you there is definitely a segment of that fandom that does feel it's a problem and those people.. you will never change their minds).

I think at the end of the day, you need to cut out the crazies. You cannot allow the actions of those to dictate blanket statements about people. While you don't specifically do that, many in your industry and associated media do. I think this is true on both sides. The 'old school' fans vs the 'SJW new ground' both attack each other, but this is where i put a distinction. As a representative of a company, you cannot, cannot attack the fans. If people say things you dislike? you block them, and you move on. As representative of an industry, which at the end of the day is garnered towards children, let's be real about that, the kind of vitriolic stuff creators say on twitter can easy be found be small fans. Imagine a 9 year old coming across some of the tweets that creator's say. I am well aware you can make the counter argument of 'well they can see it from other people' which is also bad, but people who works for companies come from a certain place of authority. So imagine, that you hear the 'evil white people, F word this or that' kind of conversation (that I've seen on twitter from comic book pros) and a small 8 year old white boy reads that and thinks.. wow should I not be reading this comic? Am i bad for who I am?

You guys do not understand the affect that you have on people, I've seen some twitter posts from creator's who I loved. Absolutely loved their work! but after seeing how they talk to people, I've dropped their books and never picked them up again. I cannot support people who seemingly has disdain for me and others who committed the simply crime of disagreement.

I understand at the end of the day you are people.. and it's difficult for people to not react, but as professionals, as representative of an industry aimed at children, as wonderful creative people, it is on you to show us the best your industry has to offer. Not it's pettiness, not it's own politics, but what made 14 year old me pick up a comic book and think 'wow, they sure don't treat mutants very well. why not, they're just people with powers'.

Enjoyed this conversation. Sad that we have "fans" going after actors, creators, retailers, and other fans with personal attacks, but "fan" is short for "fanatic" so I guess I can't be too surprised when people do act like this. Shame that many people who would create and/or support comics are bullied out of the comics industry and fandom. My wife quit blogging because of all the flack and other women bloggers and creators were taking.

I seriously don't understand death threats over a comic, movie, TV show, etc., and probably never will. It's nuts a creator has to have a bodyguard, or contact the feds. I'm not crazy about a lot of the Star Wars universe, but George Lucas never raped my childhood or even touched it on its naughty places- and I don't wish him or Jar-Jar any ill will.

I try to listen to both sides of an argument, but extremists usually don't want to listen to others that don't agree 100% with them, and that's frustrating to listen to- especially from the ones that are hateful and on a power trip from it. "A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still."

Look forward to hearing more from Mark and hopefully running into him at future cons. I love watching him do his "guess the comic" trick by only seeing half an inch or less of a comic cover. Great guy to have dinner conversation with, too.